Marcos must surrender; futile to prolong rule thru violence

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. President Ronald Reagan urged Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos to surrender power and told him it would be “futile” to try to prolong his 20-year rule through violence.

While calling Marcos “an old friend and ally,” the Reagan administration all but offered a U.S. plane to whisk him to safe haven in the United States.

A Reagan administration official said presidential envoy Philip Habib, who returned from the Philippines only Saturday night, “in all probability” would depart Washington Monday en route to Manila to begin new consultations. His agenda was not disclosed.

Asked if the Reagan administration wanted to see Marcos step down before his inauguration White House spokesman Larry Speakes said, “we’re trying to precipitate it as quickly as we can.”

In any event, Speakes said Marcos’ ceremony was a private affair and that no foreign governments had been invited.